In this day and age of robotic golfers, with their lean bodies and smooth-as-silk swings, it can be refreshing for the antithesis of that modern player to prove a point; and so it was in the second round of the US PGA at Hazeltine yesterday.

Although Mark Calcavecchia has some heavyweight company at the top end of the leaderboard, the 42-year-old American with an oversized belly to match his oversized driver showed he is far from being a spent force in his quest for majors.

A second round 68 for a 36-hole total of six-under-par 138 enabled a rejuvenated Calcavecchia - without a win on the US Tour in over a year - to make a statement of intent. He was later joined on that mark by Justin Leonard and Rich Beem, both of whom shot course record 66s, and by Retief Goosen.

And the logjam that was developing in the last major of the year confirmed the pre-championship suspicion that the course - at 7,360 yards - was misleading in its length, and that even those not recognised as among the game's longest hitters would have a chance.

For Padraig Harrington, though, it proved to be a day to battle. Troubled by the recurrence of an old ankle injury, the Dubliner was forced to rely on his short game and had nine single putts in salvaging a 73 for level par 144, to at least ensure he would be around for the final two rounds.

Darren Clarke, however, bogeyed the final two holes for a 70 which, following his first round 79, left him on five-over-par and with an unwanted free weekend.

Calcavecchia may not have the physique of an Adonis, but he knows how to get the ball out there. Harrington, who was paired with him for the first two rounds, had an opportunity to see him up close and personal; and he was impressed by what he saw.

"He just kept ripping it. He is a very aggressive player, and when he is playing well he gets even more aggressive. It's good to see someone play like that."

Where this sudden burst of form has come from is a bit of a mystery, though; and Calcavecchia, who had to resort to stretching exercises on the fairway to relax muscles in a problematic back, seemed as bemused as anyone.

"I'm historically not a great summer player. I usually do okay through April, and then seem to go on a three-month vacation. Why, I don't know. I wish I knew."

Whatever has happened here, the Calcavecchia of old reappeared. And the highlight of his round came at the 586-yard par five 15th, where he hit a three-wood approach to the greenside rough and then chipped-in from 30 feet for an eagle.

On the 16th, the course's signature hole which demands a drive over the waters of Lake Hazeltine and then an approach to a peninsula green, he hit a one-iron off the tee and then a "hard" eight-iron to two feet for birdie, and he continued his outward nine with a birdie on the 18th, to turn in 31 strokes.

Calcavecchia failed to ignite to the same extent over his back nine, but was still seven-under standing on the ninth tee, his final hole, where he pulled his drive into trees and then put his recovery up against the grandstands. He failed to get up and down, and the bogey left him signing for a 68.

"You know, there's a long way to go yet. If I won here, I wouldn't say it would cap off my career. I wouldn't all of a sudden go into a shell and retire. I've got nothing else to do but play golf. But it would be great if I did win."

In a wide-open US PGA, however, he will have to produce more good golf and be prepared to battle. Yesterday's early starters were able to benefit from receptive greens and firm fairways.

"It was probably as easy as this course will play," conceded Leonard, winner of the British Open in 1997. "But I'd like to see the conditions get harder. If it stays like this, it will be a shootout and, while I think I can compete, my game and temperament is more suited to par being a good score."

He could well get his wish. The weathermen have forecast that winds in today's third round will reach as much as 40 miles an hour, and tornadoes and thunderstorms have not been ruled out of the question either.

All of which may remind players of Saturday's play at the British Open at Muirfield when a tempest ruined many players' chances, among them Tiger Woods' bid to take his third consecutive major of the year. Yesterday, Woods teed-off after Messrs Calcavecchia, Leonard, Beem and Goosen had already reached the sanctuary of the clubhouse, and ominously moved to three-under after six holes.